The Uttar Pradesh [Images] Engineers Association on Friday postponed their state-wide strike in protest against the murder of senior engineer M K Gupta allegedly by a Bahujan Samaj Party legislator after Public Works Department Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui assured them of stern action.

"The engineers decided to postpone their strike after assurances from PWD Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui on behalf of Chief Minister Mayawati [Images] on strict legal action against all the culprits including MLA Shekhar Tewari and invocation of National Security Act by Saturday", general secretary of the association S S Niranjan told PTI.

The association, which had been demanding a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the Gupta family, said it had been assured maximum ex-gratia under the rules which would be above the already declared Rs 5 lakh.

On the government theory that the murder was an outcome of rivalry within the PWD and the two names of Tyagi and Bhatia which had cropped up in connection with the murder of Gupta were engineers, Niranjan said both were personal guards of the MLA and action was being taken against them.

"The minister has assured that prima facie the involvement of no engineer has been found in the murder case", Niranjan.

Directives were also being issued for proper security to engineers involved in field and development work, Niranjan added.

He said the Association's demand for a CBI inquiry into the killing however stands. The Association would wait to see what action is taken by the government on the assurances, he added.